Abstract: A steel making assembly comprising a metal, refractory lined vessel having a side wall with a taphole therein and a metal plug placed within the taphole. The metal plug comprises a frustoconical body having a side conical wall, a closed small end and an open large end thereof defining an essentially empty interior space. The side conical wall of the frustoconical body of the plug includes at least one diagonal compression slit. The at least one diagonal compression slit extends from the open large end of the frustoconical body and extends toward the closed small end of the frustoconical body. The conical wall has a center axis, with the at least one diagonal compression slit being non-parallel to the center axis.

Abstract: A steel making assembly comprising a metal, refractory lined vessel having a side wall with a taphole therein and a metal plug placed within the taphole. The metal plug comprises a frustoconical body having a side conical wall, a closed small end and an open large end thereof defining an essentially empty interior space. The side conical wall of the frustoconical body of the plug includes at least one diagonal compression slit. The at least one diagonal compression slit extends from the open large end of the frustoconical body and extends toward the closed small end of the frustoconical body. The conical wall has a center axis, with the at least one diagonal compression slit being non-parallel to the center axis.

Abstract: An improved vortex inhibitor 20 for separating slag from molten metal during the discharge of molten metal through a nozzle 14 includes a generally uniform castable refractory body 22 having a generally hemispherical or hemi-ellipsoid shape having a plurality of generally triangular shaped projection elements 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40) defining a plurality of generally constant dimension grooves 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 extending downward from the top side 26 toward an apex 41 of the vortex inhibitor 20.

Abstract: An improved vortex inhibitor 20 for separating slag from molten metal during the discharge of molten metal through a nozzle 14 includes a generally uniform castable refractory body 22 having a generally hemispherical or hemi-ellipsoid shaped body 22 having a plurality of generally triangular shaped projection elements 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40) defining a plurality of generally constant dimension grooves 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 extending downward from the top side 26 toward an apex 41 of the vortex inhibitor 20.